graduates of the PFAL Series (Power For Abundant Living) may find links to fellowship, study, friends, and loved ones, believers and seekers of all congregations or none at all may find wonderful links at this page. Defectors also accused Way leadership of practicing and approving adultery as a godly practice. If you have done your reading about cults, then you are probably familiar with Dr. Steve Hassan's BITE model. x*"fhR*_l*I&mLRQnG.O@o(UU7Wn?\6t]~mak-tX}zn[z,.o,o.*?Y~,vYj8P]w1$'ZfL1sr&E7pc'R7_\veb_ One ex-member said the Corps residence training was sometimes like a bordello, with promiscuity, adultery, orgies, wife swapping, and even gang-rape.4. If youve seen the documentaries about Scientology or even that Nxivm sex cult this is practically a template for revenue income for these religious organizations. Your experience brings so many new things into perspective and reflects the things we noted about her 10yrs when we were younger but never questioned because well how much can a teenager really articulate? Ultimately we would also like to provide and seek justice on her behalf. At 29yrs old. Each fellowship was just one small twig connected to a branch, then a limb, then a trunk and so on. Para ms informacin o para Join now to access this Journal subscriber only content. And they were pretty insistent on saying that the Holocaust did happen but not nearly to the extent that Jewish people say it did, and that their agenda is to make us feel sorry for them and legitimize Judaism over Christianity. Boy howdy that was an ear-full. CES includes many past Way celebrities and clergy such as John and Pat Lynn, Ralph Dubofsky, Robert Belt, Sue Pierce, Tom Reahard, and John Schonheit. 10 These are actual experiences which Wayers, ex-Wayers, and others have shared with me. 6 Albert Cliffe, Let Go and Let God (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1951), 157. Edited to add: Would anyone be interested in an ex-Way subreddit? Like the new classes and the Disciples, this is a sign that The Way is striving to further restrict access to its activities, purge anyone who questions current Way leadership, increase control, and consolidate. Lynn summarized this when he assured listeners that many stories would curl your hair.12. One CES leader, with a touch of irony, attempted to distance CES from The Way by explaining that CES would do "Christian study," not "biblical research" (A Way term). Word When I arrived back home my entire bedroom and all my belongings had been searched for anything ungodly. John P. Juedes is the pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church in Highland, California, and has written extensively on The Way International. I'm a robot. I am also former TWI. Sometimes these classes had add-ons like Advanced Class Specials that were held in a hotel conference center in another city and had associated registration and travel fees. One CES leader, with a touch of irony, attempted to distance CES from The Way by explaining that CES would do Christian study, not biblical research (A Way term). They have rejected some Christian teachings (such as the Trinity17) primarily because they have accepted Way caricatures and have not fully understood them. Ex-Wayers also charge that The Way teaches falsely on the topics of believing, abundant sharing, tithing, interpretation of tongues, and athletes of the spirit (the belief that every warfare metaphor in the Epistles should be understood as an athletic metaphor instead). This is a big hurdle, because V.P. There was a Corp program called LEAD where participants had to hitchhike from Indiana/Ohio to New Mexico in a short period of time with very little money (less than $20 if I remember correctly) to go mountain climbing. The Way International is a shell of what it was during the lifetime of Victor Paul Wierwille. The Passing of a Patriarch greatly damaged The Way because it summarizes the accusations Wierwille made against the three trustees who alone are technically members of The Way and who control all assets and policy. I get the impression her experience was exactly as youve shared. The Way used to mail cassette tapes of the Sunday service to those "in good standing". My splinter group was one of them. But apparently, he doesn't want people to know what he did in the 1970s and 1980s. Im terribly sorry to hear that feel free to message me privately if it helps. Since the Martindale faction controls these, it views visits by ex-Wayers as enemy infiltration. While ex-Wayers want the groups to be much different than The Way, there are many similarities in teaching and goals. I dont know if any of this is helpful to you. This is just awful, horrible and egregious in every way possible. Youve saved me an extensive amount of grieving. Their arguments included: women who traveled with Jesus and Paul supplied them with sex because it satisfied their legitimate needs; men have needs for sex with a variety of women and God provides for this; all things are lawful when done in faith (Rom. Some say that the Way International is a cult. This is very hard. The Corp is their leadership training program where you live on campus and attend their unaccredited "college." I think others have covered the most common manipulation tactics the group used. The Rock had been held annually for 25 years, and had been used to teach, recruit participants for Way ministries, and send out Way Ambassadors. I was very moved by that story as a young person, and I remember talking to my mom and my fellowship coordinator about it. Nonetheless, many ex-Wayers desire publications, traveling teachers, regional meetings, and a network of fellowships similar to those they had in The Way. In the 90s as home internet was starting to become a thing, and ex-Way followers were posting their experiences on message boards, I remember fellowship leaders told us to limit our time online and to not Google search (or in those days Yahoo?) But thats the thing: the adversary throws you curve balls, and its our job as athletes of the spirit to make smart moves. Several thousand followers have severed ties with The Way International as a result of the allegations and evidence they have seen, including the entire state (Limb) of South Carolina in April 1988 and about 80 percent of the Washington, D.C., Limb. That ego had gone to their heads; that the Adversary had gotten to them. Splinter group of the Worldwide Church of God (WCoG). Cules son las creencias bsicas del budismo? About The Way International. Accordingly, several groups have arisen to try to meet these needs. I think another thing to think about with the Way is that it is in many ways a pyramid scheme. 2013-08-01T19:56:36Z Heads up on Another Splinter off the Way International Tree. Press J to jump to the feed. There are certain rules Mandalorians must adhere to . Pacific West Fellowship,13 headed by Steve Sann (who also was once a Limb and Region Coordinator), seems to be the second most aggressive splinter group. Almost every long-time member has had at least one question such as: Why did Dr. Wierwille never speak against adultery in his Christian Family and Sex class? Why does my Limb leader often spend the night with certain twig leaders of the opposite sex? Why did our womens meeting leave the impression that a woman should satisfy any physical desire of visiting Way leaders? Why do Way leaders give contradictory answers when I ask about the biblical stance on sex outside of marriage? Why did the twig leader make sexual advances toward me the first time I attended?10, Ex-Wayers are increasingly charging The Way with false teaching and scholarship. In the meantime, I want to share about her thread with you. The Way International is a small, fundamentalist, Bible-based organization headquartered in New Knoxville, Ohio, on property that was once the family farm of the founder, Victor Paul Wierwille. 15 H. A. Ironside, Wrongly Dividing the Word of Truth (Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers, 1938) addresses the relation of the gospel to the church, the Bride and body of Christ, baptism, and related topics. I had been a professional lead singer and performer since I was 16, and although I . Groups like the Way Ministry where you are expected to have instant familiarity with and trust for other members (who are practically strangers) by virtue of you all being "like-minded" is an environment absolutely rife for abuse. Any time I needed to see a doctor (I've had chronic health issues) I had to do it in secret and lie about where I was going, and have the bills sent to fake addresses so no one would find out. Meli Vinpearl Phu Ly. In my research since leaving in 2013 I have found a number of people who reported that their loved ones died in the way dating back to the 70s. Each link takes you to a menu of articles on that topic, most by Dr. John P. Juedes, who has researched TWI for 30 years. A place for discussion about cults and other new age religious movements. That exes from his life are all crazy.. TWI splinter group leader John Lynn wrote a letter in 2008 defending and praising "the old" Way International, proof that the old Way Arrogance lives on as well. They run off anyone who is not currently active in a Way-controlled twig and who doesnt have a Way escort. Could John Lynn be the undisputed king of Offshoot ministries? This present controversy is serving to alert pure believers that Wierwille and his successors are false apostles after all. This practice was common back in the 70s-80s as well as taking people's medications away so they could "prove God." Michael Rood is a self-proclaimed Messianic preacher who was ordained as a Christian minister in The Way International (TWI).. Rood has continued many of the themes and practices which made TWI theologically a cult of Christianity. And unjustified bullshit. It is fundamentalist due to many non-negotiable beliefs, most notably the inerrancy of the Scriptures, and it is a cult, a high-control group, due to its social . 14:21-23); stringent laws are done away with when one is born again (Col. 2:20-21); God punished David for killing Uriah, not for having sex with Bathsheba; and the Bibles word for adultery has a spiritual, not a physical meaning. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. 1 John P. Juedes and Douglas V. Morton, The Integrity and Accuracy of The Ways Word (St. Louis: Personal Freedom Outreach, 1980), 43-48. Rev. This article first appeared in the in the Ask Hank column of the Christian Research Journal, Feb 20, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol, Feb 13, 2023 | Christian Articles, en Espanol. Way followers say the first commandment is the most important: no false Idols before God. He cultivated an image of being an original Bible researcher and his followers have seen him as such. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. I've even attended a wedding at HQ. Many people follow Wierwille in part because they were impressed by his claim that he took over 3,000 books on theology to the city dump3 and resolved to study the Bible alone without mens teachings.4 Although Wierwille sometimes said he learned from others, he often explicitly claimed originality. The Corp program was insane and I could write a huge thread just about that experience. Most still feel hurt from being betrayed by The Way, are suspicious of any new organizations, and hesitate to connect themselves with any Christian church. I grew up in the Way Ministry in the 80s and left in my last year of high school in 96. Think of an abuser boyfriend who doesnt let you have friendships with other guys or other people, really, because it distracts your attention from him, the most important person in your life. I thought of myself as a good person, but Id grown up to believe that you couldnt be both good and a homosexual. Youre a survivor. And to answer your question, yes, people do commit suicide after being in the cult. During WOW training at the 1994 Rock of Ages conference, however, Way leaders decided not to send WOWs, because nearly 10 percent of their Ambassadors were homosexual. Wierwille credits Stiles with showing him how to receive and manifest the Holy Spirit by speaking in tongues when they met at a Tulsa rally in 1951.7 He took his teachings on evil spirits, definition of humans as body-soul-spirit (with his peculiar exegesis), laying on of hands, and his descriptions and methods of operating the manifestations (gifts of the Spirit) from B.G. Wierwille was not the only former minister to draw away young disciples David Berg was one of several others. I can remember being a teenager and being intellectually curious and asking a lot of questions. I think it may be important for you to identify whether she was in TWI proper or a splinter group. Almost every one of Wierwilles teachings can be traced to other sources (see sidebar for descriptions of some of Wierwilles teachings). The stories which former (and current) Way insiders hear include many more specific charges about shocking events. Cliffes book Lessons in Successful Living addresses similar topics. In short, the Way (though it started much earlier) at its highest participation rates was essentially home fellowships with hippies talking about Jesus. 2 John P. Juedes and Jay Valusek, Will the Real Author Please Stand Up? But in reality, women in the Way were valued primarily for sex and as caretakers. Many remember current leaders as friends, but at the same time despise them for wrongs they believe they have done or allowed. Many Wayers have accepted these allegations in part because they explain and confirm previous experiences. 2013-08-09T12:10:58-05:00 This article only sketches the most prominent and publishable charges. Many of us were had gotten the impression that she was back. We are talking about a lot of people who fall for get-rich-quick schemes and fad diets. Until then I was personally fighting acceptance because I wasnt able to understand and someone else had not articulated a realistic and plausible answer. Nonetheless, hundreds of Way refugees are resisting the new groups' pleas to "join up.". Bullinger is that they had already heard Wierwille teach Bullingers material as his own. She was loved by many, the brightest light and simply someone you could not avoid noticing. Like Wierwille, Berg drew young people from the Jesus movement to form his own group, the Children of God (now called the Family of Love), which uses sexual promiscuity to win new followers. That was deep, honest and almost liberating because it brought some of us closer to understanding as well as closure. There are people who spend 7 nights a week at fellowship or taking classes or teaching. But they are open to friendships and the Bible, and are reevaluating many teachings and practices. So I dont think youre going to find any one person in her fellowship circle to point a finger at, but I can imagine your friend, as a young, thinking, caring person was having a lot of internal turmoil reconciling her faith with just being a person in the world. While accusing the Christian church at large of being divisive, the new groups (like The Way International) practice division much more stringently than most Christian denominations or churches. Experiences, questions, observations about offshoots who trace their roots to The Way International. And we have to consider the times: inspired by peace movements and anti-war efforts. What practices are different from the 80s? I told them never to bring up The Way in my presence again. We were taught that debt was inherently evil and that it made you a slave to the lender. I'd recently read a secular book and they also blamed that. In opposition, John Schoenheit produced a paper that confronted this error and biblically explained that adultery is a sin. Explain teachings carefully, and give them time alone to read the Bible in a newer version (such as the New International Version or New American Standard) which has clearer wording and lacks Wierwilles marginal notes and deletions marked in their old King James Versions. Splinter Cults are WORSE..not better. CES holds two national meetings per year in Chicago (drawing about 150 people per meeting), publishes Dialogue magazine bi-monthly, circulates periodic newsletters, and distributes tapes. A Profile of The Way, International How come she was allowed non-Christian activities such as going to dances/concerts, have a boyfriend or a job prior to college and Way Disciples Training? To me this is the core of the Way: the planting of the idea that its us against them. Over time that can be very isolating considering that there arent that many people in the ministry. He never credited his sources, in effect lying to his readers by leading them to believe that he originated his teachings under Gods direct tutelage. The splinter groups made a lot of sense because fellowships (church) was held in people's homes anyway, so they continued to hold them and they all have their own little names like "Harbor Light Fellowship" or "Living Word Fellowship" however they still are Weirwill purists and teach his ideas. This means that we live in the world, but that doesnt have to impact our relationship with God. Household Prayer would be around 6am or earlier sometimes, which you couldn't miss or again you would be reprimanded. The Way International fits the criteria outlined to a T. One thing I didn't see mentioned much in the thread is how incredibly patriarchal and misogynistic the Ministry was, and I am sure that has not changed. Reportedly, a few people have even considered suicide or entered mental institutions. They are both prevalent in Ohio. Your reply was a lot to unpack, digest, snd accept. The name became "The Way" in 1955, no doubt a reference to Jesus' statement that He is "the way, the truth and the life" ( John 14:6 ). The Way International introduced sweeping changes at the annual Rock of Ages gathering last year. Bill Green, who handles some public relations for The Ways New Knoxville, Ohio headquarters, declined to be interviewed about the classes and related developments. This article first appeared in the Christian Research Journal, volume 44, number 2 (2021). The apostle Paul warned of deceivers when he told the Ephesians, I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock, and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them (Acts 20:29-30). Please keep in touch. People were eager to engage, but I dont think answers were ever very satisfying. The most ridiculous instance was when he beat me for clinking my fork too loudly in my plate at the dinner table. I dont know if this is still true, but a weird criteria at the time was that you had to be debt free to participate. Splintering and Subjugating.as night follows day, Remembering a woman of courage, who stood up to a monster. Since then, The Way has sought to purge (that is, totally shun) all who do not tithe or who question Martindale on any issue. The CES meeting in May 1988 sponsored two and one-half days of biblical teachings and allowed sales of books by those attending, including Lynn, Lionel Recio, and myself. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. This is to say, you can be you with all your quirks and eccentricities because we are all unique people and can come to have unique relationships with God through his Word. TWI's splinter groups, formed at TWI's implosion in the late 1980's, are bigger than . Im not educated or enlightened by any metric, but reading that after your personal experience as well as observation grounded and solidified what you were sharing. OVERVIEW OF THE WAY'S SPLINTER GROUPS. This is hard to accept for those who knew V.P. Brainwashing is in part convincing you that the world is evil and filled with devil spirits that are everywhere and you must be vigilant, and part CONSTANT information about the bible. See also pp.38 and 52. There were people who were sexually assaulted while hitchhiking and injured due to accidents. In response, he defends such Way teachings as that on interpretation of tongues.14 Ralph Dubofsky told the May 1988 CES meeting that the reason they like so much of E.W. These people are capable of anything. This thread is like a walk down memory lane - Sunday Service tapes, the Rock of Ages, Athletes of the Spirit, all the lingo others have quoted, and Martindale's violent tirades against homosexuality in the mid 90s bring me right back. I cannot stress enough how much the control and fear is internal. For instance, trustee Donald Wierwille (Victor Pauls son) confessed, I apologize for not having followed my man of God.6. The complexity and overarching theme of shame as well as guilt is much bigger than I ever imagined. 16 Wierwille noted that acquiring young people from the Jesus movement caused the Ways growth (Whiteside, 230-35). I was berated, told I did this to myself because I didn't have my head in the word enough and allowed devil spirits in. Some still in The Way are ignorant of the controversy, while others refuse to listen to the charges, deny them, or rationalize how Wierwille could have done such things without guilt. If the person refuses to read or hear material which exposes such errors, then take the time to obtain the primary sources which demonstrate them and ask his or her opinion of them. The Way To Happiness International. Not even post TWI as a survivor. The leader was arrested recently as he had convinced the fellowship members to give him their eldest daughters which he physically and sexually abused for 9+ years until one girl escaped. And I am glad you are with us. Juedes is a Lutheran paster who has written extensively on the Way. Geer is damaging to The Way because of his previous close ties to Wierwille. European Christian Press (which Geer controls) then published it a few years after Wierwilles death. That wing of my family joined nearly 30 years ago. The most prominent of these groups are John Lynns Christian Educational Services (CES) and Chris Geers The Way of Great Britain. Martindale openly and vulgarly expressed his contempt for the splinter groups during his Rock of Ages 95 sermons. Growing up, I remember hearing stories about people who had drifted from the Way, and they were always spoken of as dangerous people. To be honest, it sounds nice on paper in many ways. Eventually someone outside the house stepped in because they knew what was wrong and got me to the hospital. The leader was arrested recently as he had convinced the fellowship members to give him their eldest daughters which he physically and sexually abused for 9+ years until one girl escaped. Im not saying that people in the Way avoid doctors entirely, but theres definitely a sense of what counts and doesnt or that people are putting waaay too much trust in men and not in God. We both are still active in the remnants of one of the many splinter groups and have become the inheritors of a fellowship in limbo. It helps me after hearing some of your stories. Our dear and sweet beloved friend. It was heavy-duty indoctrination using known "brainwashing" techniques like sleep deprivation and intense manual labor mixed with a hippy commune mentality and a healthy dose of college hijinks thrown in. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. I did look your friend up on facebook and we have friends in common from the cult (I should probably just start a new FB to rid myself of them), which would lead me to believe it's a splinter group since the two don't typically mix. Experiences, questions, observations about offshoots who trace their roots to The Way International, Off-shoot of The Way (formerly Christian Educational Services), Accused sex predator Victor Barnard a victim's story. I mention this because in the athletes analogy, theres always an adversary. The figure other Christians might call the Devil the Way often calls the Adversary (lol it looks weird to write it out). They also feel the need for teaching and fellowship with other believers. "rev" gerry wrenn raises wierwille from the dead! The Way, International Profile While Believers with a history of Way International affiliation, esp. She was sobbing and apologized profusely that she hid this from them. I figured out I was gay in college, and having grown up in a household that called people faggots, fudge-packers, rump-riders and played count the queers when we went to amusement parks, I knew this wasnt going to fly. Ultimate question, do you think The Way or anyone that endorses the way is worth pursuing as - culpable? Geer repeatedly promotes himself as the only man left in The Way Ministry who is fully informed, spiritually adept, and capable of leading the Ministry and stemming its speedy decline. 9 In an April 30, 1996 press release The Way announced it would not hold a Rock of Ages festival in 1996. 3 Victor Paul Wierwille, Power for Abundant Living (New Knoxville, OH: American Christian Press, 1971), 119-20.4 Victor Paul Wierwille, Receiving the Holy Spirit Today, 6th ed. John Lynn claims that Wierwille and at least four other trustees had sex with literally hundreds of women, many of whom Lynn and other ex-leaders have counseled personally.9 They also claim the Trustees fired long-time researcher John Schonheit for writing a brief paper summarizing the Bibles teaching against adultery. Fourth, help them through the reconstruction of their Christian lives by introducing them to sincere, Bible-believing Christians, small group fellowships, and churches. After all, it is their friends who have left and made accusations of severe error against The Way leadership. In fact, Martindale considers homosexuality to be devil-spirit possession.. His complaint, however, implies that he realized there were significant errors in PFAL. She probably could have just gone and not told anyone because its not like anyone checked your bank account, but her guilt consumed her and a couple days before, she called our fellowship coordinator over and confessed to him that she had debt.
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